Fernando González Molina wraps The Baztán Trilogy

by Alfonso Rivera

11/01/2019 - The Pamplona-born filmmaker is engrossed in the post-production of the two new instalments in the saga, after the enthusiastic reception enjoyed by the first episode, The Invisible Guardian

At the end of August last year, the shoot began in Barcelona for two films in a row, both featuring the same cast and crew, before continuing for 18 weeks in Navarre. Legado en los huesos (lit. “Legacy in the Bones”) and Ofrenda a la tormenta (lit. “Offering to the Storm”) will be the final instalments in TheBaztánTrilogy, which kicked off with The Invisible Guardian[+see also: trailerfilm profile], an adaptation of Dolores Redondo’s novel of the same name, which was seen by more than 610,188 viewers in 2017, grossing €3,697,547. The entire saga has one single director at the helm: Fernando González Molina (Pamplona, 1975), the man behind a number of other hits, such as I Want You[+see also: trailerfilm profile].

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The cast of these new episodes is once again made up of Marta Etura, Elvira Mínguez, Carlos Librado “Nene”, Francesc Orella, Itziar Aizpuru,Benn Northover, Patricia López, Miquel Fernández, Pedro Casablanc, Paco Tous, Manolo Solo, Colin McFarlane and Susi Sánchez, now flanked by Argentina’s Leonardo Sbaraglia (who plays the character of Judge Markina), Imanol Arias (breathing life into Father Sarasola), Ana Wagener, Eduardo Rosa and Marta Larralde.

The screenplay has again been penned by Luiso Berdejo, and the synopsis outlines how one year has passed since Amaia Salazar solved the crimes that had terrorised the Baztán valley. Now pregnant and having decided to leave her experiences in Elizondo far behind, the inspector’s life is once again turned upside down by an unexpected incident, when various prisoners commit suicide, leaving just one word scrawled on their cell walls: “Tarttalo”. The dangers she once thought had passed are back with a vengeance, and she will have to solve this new case by diving into a dizzyingly fast-paced investigation, jeopardised by the presence of her own mother.

González Molina said: “The Invisible Guardian marked the start of an epic story that only escalates in the subsequent instalments. Each film grows in complexity, excitement and intrigue. What started off as an inquiry into a spate of crimes will transform into a mystery that goes far beyond that – a mystery that has affected the Baztán valley and its history for centuries. Shooting these two movies posed an incredible challenge for the whole cast and crew, and for me, given their complexity and the ambitious scope of the subject matter.”

Mercedes Gamero, a producer at Atresmedia Cine, remarks, “Taking on the challenge of adapting the next two novels one after the other implies a huge degree of motivation and a deep involvement on our part in order to continue the journey that we started with The Invisible Guardian. Forming part of the fabulous team heading up this project is immensely satisfying, and we hope that both readers and viewers of The Baztán Trilogy all around the world will continue to accompany us on this profound voyage into the valley and its mysteries.” Meanwhile, Adrián Guerra, a producer at Nostromo Pictures, states: “Finishing the trilogy was always something we had in mind. It’s a massive production challenge to shoot two complex and ambitious films like these at the same time, but this way, we’ll manage to make optimal use of our resources.”

Legado en los huesos will be released in Spanish theatres on 5 December 2019, while Ofrenda a la tormenta will go on general release on 3 April 2020, both courtesy of DeAPlaneta. They are both being produced by Nostromo Pictures, Mantecadas Salazar AIE, Nadcon Film and Atresmedia Cine.

(Translated from Spanish)

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